Michigan gave up a late power play to the University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team. The Badgers maintained their incredible start to the season when Mathieu De St. Phalle made the Wolverines pay.
At the Kohl Center on Saturday, the fifth-ranked Badgers defeated No. 4 Michigan 2-1 thanks to a goal by De St. Phalle with 6.5 seconds left. This was the Badgers’ third consecutive series sweep of a ranked team.
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For the first time in almost a decade, Wisconsin has won six straight games. It is also only the seventh time in the program’s 75 seasons to win nine of its first ten games. 1999 was the last.
When De St. Phalle scored the game-winning goal, the Kohl Center saw its largest crowd since January 29, 2022—12,218 people were registered as attendees.
“That was just such an unbelievable feeling, seeing that many people in the Kohl Center, the student section, all of it,” he stated. “That’s just what we’ve been dreaming about going into the season, and it’s awesome to get that support.”
What conditions led to the Badgers going on a power play in the last two minutes? Probably the best term to use is unusual.
With one minute and forty seconds remaining, Quinn Finley of Wisconsin shoved Dylan Duke into the cage and dislodged it, forcing a halt. Michigan disputed the play, believing that Rutger McGroarty’s shot had gone into the net.
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After reviewing the replays, the referees concluded that the puck never entered the goal, and because the Wolverines had already used their timeout, they were given a penalty for delay of game.
Cruz Lucius’ rebound was poked in by De St. Phalle, who charged the net, giving the Badgers (9-1, 4-0 Big Ten) yet another late victory. They fell behind 4-2 in the second period but rallied for a 5-4 victory on Friday, scoring two goals in 29 seconds.
During the review, Badgers coach Mike Hastings stated he was ready for every scenario, including a 2-1 deficit and the necessity of clearing the net fast to allow an additional attacker or a power play with a chance to win.
“I’m glad it worked to our favor and the guys took advantage of it,” Hastings stated.
In the opening session, Michigan (5-4-1, 1-2-1) took the lead thanks to a power-play goal from Carson Bantle. However, 76 seconds into the third period, Garrett Schifsky tied the game by slipping a shot past McClellan’s pads.
The three stars and three noteworthy items are listed below.
Third place, three stars: Wisconsin’s Kyle McClellan. With 28 stops, the goaltender earned his tenth victory.
Number 2: Wisconsin’s Carson Bantle. The Badgers took the lead in the opening session thanks to his power-play goal.
First place: Wisconsin’s Mathieu De St. Phalle. Although the first goal was first attributed to him, the second was more significant.
Despite the move’s failure, Carson Bantle scored.
During a Badgers power play, Bantle made a beautiful move in front of the net, but it didn’t work out. In the end, though, he was credited with Wisconsin’s first-period goal.
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At the top right of the crease, Bantle switched from his backhand to his forehand in an attempt to take a shot on Michigan goalie Jake Barczewski. De St. Phalle entered the game to try to get a rebound, but the puck found its way in after striking Bantle.
Replays revealed that Bantle scored the goal, even though De St. Phalle was first given credit for it. The power play for Wisconsin resulted in at least one goal.
“Carson’s just a big body that I think has made a significant contribution to our group from Day 1 here,” Hastings stated. “Two as a human being and one as a hockey player. In the locker room, he’s a person that I believe people respect and listen to, and his play is really speaking volumes.”
